New AirTies Survey Finds Nearly 80% of Consumers Would Prefer In-Home Wi-Fi Gear Be Provided by Their Internet Service Providers

SUNNYVALE, Calif., and ISTANBUL, Feb. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Seventy-eight percent (78%) of consumers across the U.S. and UK would prefer if their Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provided them with their in-home Wi-Fi networking gear, versus purchasing it themselves, according to a new survey* commissioned by AirTies, a leading international provider of premium in-home wireless systems. The survey also found 43% of consumers reported having areas in their home or apartment where Internet service does not work, and that 54% have called their ISP to complain about their home Internet or Wi-Fi.

AirTies' In-Home Wi-Fi Survey Findings

The new survey of 1,050 respondents in the U.S. and UK, with multiple Wi-Fi users per home, was commissioned by AirTies, and conducted by Qualtrics. Notably, 74% of respondents said they would consider upgrading to a faster tier of Internet service if they were ensured better speed and coverage in every room of their home or apartment; and 77% said they would be willing to pay an extra monthly fee for better Wi-Fi.

"When most consumers think about their own home Internet experience, they don't view Wi-Fi as something separate. This is why they are quick to call or blame their ISPs for performance issues," said Philippe Alcaras, CEO of AirTies. "Improving this experience shouldn't be the responsibility of consumers or third-party retailers, but rather their ISPs. In fact, the vast majority of consumers would prefer that, and would consider paying extra for a premium Wi-Fi experience that works in every corner of their home."

The survey also found that:

Consumers ranked home Internet/broadband service to be more important than pay TV or home telephone service; 63% ranked it #1, while less than 20% ranked either TV or home phone as being most important;

68% of respondents said they would pay between $5-$10 (or 4-8 pounds) per month extra for better in-home Wi-Fi;

67% of respondents would consider purchasing small, extra Wi-Fi Access Points (APs) – in addition to the router they currently have – to place around their home to provide better speeds and coverage, but 78% of all respondents said they would prefer that their in-home Wi-Fi routers/hardware be provided by their ISPs instead;

70% of consumers reported having at least five Wi-Fi devices (such as smartphones, connected TVs, and tablets) in their home; 58% have between 5-10 devices; and 11% have between 10-15 devices; and

92% of respondents said they are streaming video on Wi-Fi connected devices in their homes.

Alcaras continued, "We believe better in-home Wi-Fi systems will follow a similar history to the DVR. Service providers eventually recognized the need to offer DVRs to subscribers to improve the customer experience, instead of ceding this responsibility and opportunity to third-party retailers. Progressive ISPs are now starting to do the same with premium Wi-Fi, and selecting AirTies Managed Mesh because of our proven technology and unmatched deployment experience."

With operations around the globe, AirTies provides premium in-home Wi-Fi solutions to leading international service providers, such as Sky (in the UK, including SKY Q; Germany; Italy; and New Zealand), Vodafone, Singtel, Swisscom, Waoo, Frontier, Midco, and many others. Unlike traditional Wi-Fi, which relies on a single Wi-Fi Access Point (AP) on a home gateway/router, AirTies pioneered the use of multiple APs placed around the home to create an intelligent, Managed Mesh network that ensures consistent, high quality whole home Internet coverage. AirTies supplies operators with devices, software, apps, and cloud-based performance monitoring capabilities that enable ISPs to provide a managed Wi-Fi Mesh solution for their subscribers. With AirTies, operators can seize new opportunities to improve customer satisfaction, drive incremental revenue, and differentiate with new classes of premium Wi-Fi services.

About AirTies Founded in 2004, AirTies is the most widely deployed provider of Wi-Fi Mesh solutions to operators around the globe. AirTies designs and develops software and hardware that wirelessly streams Internet connections and high definition video to multiple rooms and screens. The comprehensive product portfolio includes broadband Internet devices and Internet-based television set-top boxes. Its award winning technology enables seamless wireless integration at the touch of a button, increased wireless speeds, and coverage throughout subscribers' entire homes. AirTies has an installed base of over 15 million devices worldwide. AirTies' customers include: Sky (including Sky Q in the UK; Germany; Italy; and New Zealand), Vodafone, Singtel, Swisscom, Frontier, Midco, Waoo, and many others operators. More information is available at www.AirTies.com.

*In-Home Wi-Fi survey of 1,050 respondents in the U.S. and UK, with multiple Wi-Fi users per home, commissioned by AirTies in December 2016, and conducted by Qualtrics.